Rob Delaney Thanks Joan Didion
- In honor of author Joan Didion, who recently passed away, actor Rob Delaney shared that reading her memoir The Year of Magical Thinking helped him cope with his late 2-year-old son, Henry’s, cancer treatment.
- Henry was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2016 and fought the disease for two years before passing away; brain tumors like Henry's (as well as spinal cord tumors) are the second most common cancers found in children.
- Watching a loved one, particularly a child, battle cancer can be an extraordinarily difficult process. It’s important to remember that everyone grieves and copes differently. Seeking help from a professional can aid you in the process.
After news broke that the acclaimed novelist and essayist had passed away, peers and fans immediately started sharing how her work impacted them. Delaney’s was one of the most touching, as he stated that he was first introduced to Didion’s work while his 2-year-old son, Henry, was going through chemotherapy treatments for brain cancer. He started reading Didion’s memoir The Year of Magical Thinking, which follows Didion’s experience losing both her husband and daughter in the same year. This work clearly struck a chord with Delaney, as he struggled to cope with Henry’s condition and watching his young son go through a difficult treatment process.
Read MoreDeepest gratitude to Joan Didion for how she helped me during a brutal, dark time. And that’s not even her best book! If you’ve yet to discover her, today’s a good day to do so.💙
— rob delaney (@robdelaney) December 23, 2021
Henry was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2016 and fought the disease for two years before passing away. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), brain tumors like Henry's (as well as spinal cord tumors) are the second most common cancers found in children, after leukemia. Brain and spinal cord tumors account for 1 in 4 childhood cancers. Malignant tumors have a slightly higher incidence in boys than in girls.
Pediatric Cancer: Breakdown
Pediatric cancer, also known as childhood cancer, is diagnosed in 43 children in the United States every day. Thanks to decades of research and treatment advances, there is a 90% survival rate for children facing this disease which is a significant leap from 50-years-ago when the survival rate was only 10%.
The most common types of cancers found in children include:
- Tumors on the brain and spinal cord
- Leukemia
- Neuroblastoma
- Wilms tumor
- Lymphoma
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Retinoblastoma
- Bone cancer
Childhood cancer survivor Justice Wexler gets real about chemotherapy
Coping With Grief
Losing a loved one to cancer, especially a child, can be an extremely difficult process to navigate. For many people, resources such as a support system, therapy, or in Delaney’s case a good book, can be helpful in order to process through your emotions. However, it’s important to note that everyone grieves differently, and it takes time. For Doug Wendt, who lost his wife Alice to ovarian cancer, he had to make some serious discoveries while coping with her passing.
"We're never gonna move on, I don't even think I want to move on, but I do want to move forward,” Wendt previously told SurvivorNet. “That's an important distinction and I encourage anybody who goes through this journey as a caregiver and then has to face loss, to think very carefully about how to move forward."
Wendt served as Alice’s main caregiver during her cancer battle, and therefore stood by her side as she went through grueling chemotherapy treatments. It understandably was difficult to watch his wife go through this process, but he was able move forward after her passing. Just remember: it takes time and support.
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